The Emerald Isle is quilted together with swatches of cliffs that scrape the clouds and pillows of farmland - all woven with bursting hedgerows. Everything about this small sliver of Eden is ancient and thus revered by its people. Irish culture and solidarity is deeply rooted, intrinsic and endurant.
It’s no secret that our cushiony goldilocks zone is in peril. Seal Rescue Ireland was established in 2010, originally hugging the Dingle coastline. Four years down the road, SRI’s relationship with local anglers waned in response to their fight for sustainable fishery. Winter continued to howl and the past washed away. SRI found a new home in Courtown where rescue, rehabilitation and release carries on. Among the many reasons SRI has intakes, seal predation as a direct result of human waste is a critical issue in the British Isle waters. Marine immune systems are greatly suppressed from microplastic and chemical run-off. Overfishing created dead zones which lead to mass emaciation. The duration of storm season has lengthened from excess carbon emissions. These seals are an illustration of a purging planet.
No one is certain our damage can be reversed, but we can give the gift of time to our mother - the one in flames, drying out, melting, stripped to the bone. The same one still promises us autumn colors, cotton flower, and tides that heal our wounds. Let’s try to heal hers; we have so little time to prove our worth.
